Life-saving buoy.



A. W. BROWN. LIFE SAVING BUOYI APPLIOATIQN FILED NOV. 27, 1912.

1,093,381 Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

WTTED TATE PATENT UFFltCEi ALBERT W. BROWN, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

' LIFE-SAVING BUOY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. BROWN,

7 of Elmira, in the countyof Chemung, in

the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Life saving Buoys, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in life buoys adapted to be carried in quantities by sea-going vessels and other water-craft for preserving lives of passeners in case of marine wrecks or other emergencies necessitating the launching of the passengers into the water.

The main object is to provide a light and easily portable life-saving buoy capable of being stored in a comparatively small com pact space on board ship and speedily launched into the water with one or more passengers therein together with a limited quantity of rations, signaling apparatus and other necessary devices for the temporary needs of the occupants with the assurance that the apparatus will float and maintain an upright position in the water and prop erly house the occupants against undue exposure.

Another object is to make the buoy in the form of frusto-conical sections capable of telescoping one within the other so as to occupy a minimum amount of space in storage or transportation.

A further object is to provide the buoy with a float-controlled air vent above the normal level of the water so as to prevent the entrance of such water into the interior of the shell.

A still further object is to provide means for firmly securing the shell sections together after the passengers are placed therein and also to permit the fastening members to be folded into the interior of one of the sections before said sections are telescoped one within the other for storage or transportation.

Other objects and uses relating to the specific parts of the apparatus will. be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved life-saving buoy as launched into the water. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same apparatus omitting the weighted end of the righting device and Specification of Letters Patent.

' joint.

Patented Apr. ii, sle.

Application filed November 27, 1812. Serial No. 733,864.

showing the fastening bolts for connecting the shell sections. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the detached buoy showing the means ofattaching the weighted righting device. Fig. i is an enlarged sectional view through one side of the upper portion of the upper section showing the air vents, float chamber and float therein. Fig. 5 is a top plan of the weighted end of the righting device. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the upper end of said righting device and Fig. 7 is ahorizontal sectional view of the connection between the upper end of the righting'device and lower end of the shell.

This life-saving buoy comprises a double conical shell --lcomposed of frusto-conical lower and upper sections 2-, and 3-- of sheet metal or other light, strong and durable material, said sections having their open ends of substantially the same diameter and secured together by suitable fasten ing means as clamping bolts f.

The upper end of the lower section -2-' is provided with a reinforcing band or ring 5 rigidly secured to the inner face thereof by brazing or equivalent fastening means and having its upper end extended some distance above the corresponding edge of the section --2 and tapered slightly for receiving the lower open end of the upper section 3 to form a water-tight connection with the section -2. The lower open end of the upper section is also reinforced by an annular band or metal ring -6 brazed or otherwise secured to theinner face thereof and forming an abutment for the upper end of the ring or band 5.

The clamping bolts -4- are spaced uniform distances apart within and in close proximity to the inner sides of the shell and are preferably hinged at their lower ends at 7 to suitable lugs on the inner sides of the shell and preferably forming integral parts of the reinforcing band or ring -5, the upper ends of said bolts being extended through suitable apertures 9 in the top of the upper shell section --3 close to the periphery thereof and are threaded at their upper ends and engaged by thumb nuts --9, whereby the sections may be drawn tightly together end to end to exclude water at the The length of these clamping bolts l is somewhat less than the interior diameter of the shell in the plane of their .hinged connections therewith so as to permit them to be rocked downwardly into the" interior and against the inner sides of the lower section 2 when the shell sections are separated, in which case, the upper section may be inverted and telescoped within the open end of the lower section for compactness in storage or transportation or, if desired, the open end of the upper section 3 may be telescoped with the smaller end of the lower section 2 for the same purpose when the righting device presently described is removed. This righting device is for the purpose of maintaining the buoy in an upright position when launched in the water and preferably consists of a rod -10 having its upper end detachably secured to the central portion of the lower end of the section 2 and its lower end provided with a series of, in this instance three, radially projecting wings 11 spaced equal distances apart circumferentially and con stitutes at once a weight and also fins for preventing excessive rotation of the buoy in the water.

The upper end of the rod -10 is provided with a dove-tail head l2 slidably interlocked with a dove-tail recess l3- on the bottom of the section 2 and held centrally of said bottom by a cotter pin or key -1lwhich is passed through an aperture in the bottom of section 2 across the open end of the recess -13- to hold the said recess, thereby permitting the weighted righting device to be easily and quickly detached and laid alongside of the buoy sections -2 and 3 when the latter are telescoped in storage or transportation.

By making the buoy sections 2 and 3 in frusto-conical form, as described, it is evident that a large number of the sections for difierent buoys may be telescoped together end to end, thereby occupying a minimum space aboard ship.

The buoy is constructed so as to receive and house at least two passengers standing on the bottom of the lower section with their shoulders and heads at approximately the largest diameter and above the normal water line when the buoy is launched with the passengers therein, it being understood that the joint at the meeting ends of the sections -2 and 3- will be some distance above such water line when the buoy is filled with passengers, thereby further reducing the liability of entrance of water in the interior of the shell at the joint.

The sides of the upper section -3 are provided with a plurality of windows or sight glasses -15- a considerable distance above the water line and approximately on a level with the heads of the occupants so that they may have a clear vision across the surface of the water in which the buoy may be launched, thereby enabling the occupants to seek relief from land 'or' from an approaching or passing vessel by suitable ports 18 which are covered at the inside of the shell by a suitable housing 19 extending from a point in proximity to the lower side:of the vent openings some distance above the same and containing a float valve 20 of any suitable material of less specific gravity than the water and capable of being floated thereby in case of entrance of such water through the vent ports.

The upper side of the vent housing 19 is provided with air ports 21-- which are normally opened but are adapted to be closed by the fioat 20- in case an excessive amount of water should enter the ports 18. As for example, during a storm when the water might be dashed through such ports, it being understood that as soon as the water recedes from the outer ports ,18-, any water which may have accumulated in the vent chamber --19 will readily pass out through such ports, allowingthe float to drop to the bottom of the vent chamber, said that having portions of its sides cut away to allow the passage of air from the ports -l8 through the chamber 19 and ports 21- into the interior of the shell for ventilating purposes.

Vhen preparing the buoy for the reception of passengers, the lower section 2 is first selected and the weighted righting device l() attached to the bottom thereof in the manner described after which said section may be hung in any suitable manner in an upright position with its open end uppermost upon the outer side as -A of the vessel directly over the water.

As soon as the lower section -2- is properly supported, the clamping bolts 4 are rocked upwardly to their operative positions and held there while the passengers are being placed within said section, whereupon the cover or upper section -3 is quickly placed. in position upon the upper end of the lower section and clamped in place by the bolts l--. therein is then released or. thrown overboard with the assurance that it will float, assuming an upright position by means of the weighted rod --l0-- aided by the weight of the occupants on the bottom of the shell.

It is natural, of course, that before the The buoy with the passengers buoy is launched into the water, in the manner just described, a limited quantity of rations, signals and other necessities for the preservation of the life of the occupants maybe placed in the buoy through the gate --16- which is then closed tightly from the inside to prevent the entrance of water into the interior of the shell when launched.

What I claim is:

1. A life-saving buoy composed of hollow shell sections having their open ends fitted to each other and bolts hinged to the inner sides of one of the sections to swing inwardly and extending through the wall of the other section, and removable means for tightening the bolts.

2. A life-saving buoy comprising an upper and a lower shell section having their open ends fitted one to the other, bolts hinged to the interior of the lower section to swing inwardly and extending through the top of the upper section and provided with removable exterior means for tightening the bolts.

3. A life-saving buoy comprising an upper and a lower shell section having their open ends fitted to each other, bolts hinged to the interior of the lower section to swing inwardly and downwardly along the inner sides of said section and extending through the top of the upper section, nuts engaging the outer ends of the bolts, and a lid in the top of the upper section allowing communication with said nuts from the interior of said shell.

i. A life-saving buoy comprising a hollow shell and a device for holding the shell in an upright position consisting of a rigid rod having sliding interlocking connection with the bottom of the shell, and a weighted memberi rigidly secured to the lower end of said roc.

5. A life-saving buoy comprising a hollow shell, a rod having a sliding interlocking connection with the bottom of the shell and having its lower end provided with radially projecting fins rigid therewith;

6. A lifesaving buoy composed of an upper and a lower shell section having their ends fitted to each other, one of said sections provided with a reinforcing band, bolts hinged to said reinforcing band to swing inwardly and extending through the wall of the other section, and exterior means for tightening said bolts.

7. A life-saving buoy comprising upper and lower shell sections having their open ends fitted to each other, the upper section being of less length than the interior diameter of the open end of the lower section, clamping bolts pivotally secured to and within the lower section and extending through the topof the upper section, and nuts engaging the upper ends of said bolts, said bolts being of less length than the interior diameter of the open end of the lower section to allow said bolts to swing inwardly and downwardly within said lower section when the upper section is removed.

8. A hollow life-saving buoy having frusto-conical lower and upper ends, the upper section having a ventilating port in one side, a chambered housing on the inner side of said upper section covering said port and provided with a ventilating opening some distance above said port, and a float valve in said chambered housing adapted to be operated by water entering the port for closing said opening.

9. A life-saving buoy composed of hollow shell sections having their open ends fitted one to the other, one of said sections provided with a reinforcing band telescoping within the other section.

10. Alife-saving buoy composed of hollow shell sections having their open ends fitted one to the other, one of said sections provided. with a reinforcing band telescoping within the other section, the other section also provided with a reinforcing band adapted to fit to the first named reinforcing band when the sections are fitted together.

11. A life-saving buoy comprising a holl-ow shell having its bottom wall provided with an open-ended groove enlarged inwardly, a righting device having an enlarged end adapted to fit said groove, and means preventing the removal of the end of the righting device from said groove.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of November, 1912.

ALBERT l/V. BROWN.

EVA E. GREENLEAF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

